Damascus Holds Russia-Backed Conference on Refugee Returns

Syria’s government kicked off a two-day Russia-backed conference in Damascus Wednesday towards facilitating the return of millions of Syrian refugees to the war-torn country, despite reservations within the international community. Of neighboring countries hosting the bulk of Syrian refugees, only Lebanon and Iraq sent representatives, according to organizers. Other attendees included a Russian delegation and representatives…

Nagorno-Karabakh Briefing | Nov. 11

The Moscow-brokered ceasefire appeared to be holding Wednesday morning, 36 hours after an agreement was reached to end six weeks of bitter fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region and surrounding districts. The conflict is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan, which reclaimed significant portions of territory previously occupied by Armenian-backed forces. Nov…

Vaccinated Siberian Medics Get Coronavirus

At least three medics who received Russia’s vaunted Sputnik V vaccine have contracted the coronavirus in Siberia as part of a vaccination drive of at-risk groups, regional authorities said Tuesday. The adenovirus vector-based vaccine’s developer had previously suggested that recipients infected with Covid-19 may have received a placebo during final clinical trials. Authorities are administering…

JSC Rusatom Healthcare and GEM signed a contract for sterilization of products of the new plant producing microbiology material handling systems

On November 9, 2020 in Moscow, GEM, supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, has opened Russia’s first plant producing uniform line of virus and microbiology handling systems used for coronavirus tests. The production capacity is 1.5 mln handling systems a month. They will be sterilized by ROSATOM’s Sterion, the operator of…

Netflix to Provide Movies Dubbed In Russian

Netflix is launching a pilot project that will provide films dubbed into Russian, Interfax has reported.   The new service, in partnership with Russian media holding company National Media Group (NMG), will offer more Russian content including the series “To The Lake,” which Netflix is showing on worldwide platforms. Although Netflix has been available in Russia…

First Diplomatic Mission to Open in Crimea Since Annexation – TASS

The first foreign diplomatic mission will open in sanctions-hit Crimea six years after Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine and incurred international sanctions, Russian state media reported Tuesday. The consulate will belong to the Central American nation of Nicaragua, which had named sanctioned Russian naval officer Oleg Belaventsev as its honorary consul in Crimea this…

Over 400 Jehovah’s Witnesses Charged or Convicted in Russia, Group Says

More than 400 Jehovah’s Witnesses have been charged or convicted in Russia since the country banned the religious group as an “extremist” organization three years ago, the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia has said. Since the April 2017 ban by Russia’s Supreme Court, law enforcement officers raided the homes of 1,166 worshippers’ families, the Jehovah’s Witnesses…

Deal Struck to End Nagorno-Karabakh War

Armenia and Azerbaijan have reached an agreement to end the war in Nagorno-Karabakh with immediate effect.  Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan first made the announcement on Facebook early Tuesday morning. Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed details of the deal, brokered by Moscow, minutes later in a televised statement. “I have signed a statement on the…

Nagorno-Karabakh Briefing | Nov. 9

Armenia and Azerbaijan have reached an agreement to end the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on Facebook early Tuesday morning. “I have signed a statement on the termination of the Karabakh war along with the Russian and Azerbaijani presidents,” he wrote. The agreement came into effect at 01:00 local time, he added — minutes…

Staff appointments

November 9, 2020, 19:35 Marat Garaev, former Director General of Gazprom Pererabotka, has been appointed Deputy Head of Department 335 at Gazprom. The functions of Director General of Gazprom Pererabotka have been assigned to Airat Ishmurzin, Chief Engineer – First Deputy Director General of this company. Information Directorate, Gazprom +7 812 609-34-21 +7 812 609-34-05+7 812 609-34-31+7 812 609-34-27 Investment Community Related news

Belarus Briefing | Nov. 9

Belarus has seen weekly mass protests against the disputed presidential re-election of Alexander Lukashenko for nearly three months. On Monday, exiled Belarusian opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called for a national strike after the deadline she set for Lukashenko to resign and free all political prisoners expired the previous day. Here’s more of the latest news…

Russian Orthodox Church Backs Banning ‘Offensive’ Religious Cartoons

All cartoons that offend religious believers should be banned, a senior Russian Orthodox Church cleric has said following the killing of a French teacher by a Chechen refugee last month. Metropolitan Hilarion, who heads the church’s Department of External Relations, told state television Saturday that cartoons depicting the founders of major religions in an offensive light “don’t…

Russia Won’t Congratulate Biden on U.S. Election Victory Before Official Results – Kremlin

Russia will not yet recognize Joe Biden as President-elect of the United States, the Kremlin said Monday as world leaders rushed to congratulate the Democratic Party challenger after U.S. television networks declared him the winner. “We believe it’s correct to wait for the official results of the elections to be announced,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov…

Nagorno-Karabakh Briefing | Nov. 7

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan — now in its sixth week — shows little sign of easing after three ceasefires have fallen apart, and could be approaching a decisive moment as heavy clashes are reported near a key town. Nagorno-Karabakh and areas under control of Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, before the conflict resumed in…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Nov. 6

Russia has confirmed 1,733,440 cases of coronavirus and 29,887 deaths. Nov. 6: What you need to know today Russia has confirmed the record-breaking number of 20,582 new coronavirus cases and 378 deaths.  Chinese authorities suspended entry for Russians with valid visas and residence permits because of Russia’s spike in coronavirus cases, the Chinese Embassy in Moscow announced Thursday.  Russia has recorded…

Laboratory for COVID-19 testing opens in Ukhta with support from Gazprom

News from projects and regions November 6, 2020, 15:20 On November 5, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) laboratory was opened at the Ukhta City Outpatient Clinic. The laboratory will increase the number of tests for the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) performed in the region and reduce the waiting time for their results. Before the launch of this facility, laboratories of this kind…

Belarus Briefing | Nov. 6

Belarus has seen weekly mass protests against the disputed presidential re-election of Alexander Lukashenko for nearly three months. On Monday, exiled Belarusian opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called for a national strike after the deadline she set for Lukashenko to resign and free all political prisoners expired the previous day. Here’s more of the latest news…

‘Crucified Jesus’ Detained Outside Moscow FSB Headquarters

A Russian activist has been detained for staging a half-naked crucifixion stunt outside the Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters in central Moscow, witnesses reported late Thursday. Pavel Krisevich replicated the crucifixion of Jesus Christ while other activists in raincoats labeled “FSB” doused the surrounding area with a harmless burning liquid and scattered folders signifying criminal…

OSCE Condemns Belarus Torture, Calls for Fresh Presidential Vote

A report from the OSCE election-monitoring organization published on Thursday condemned “massive” rights abuses and torture in Belarus and called for a re-run of the country’s August presidential polls in which President Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory. The first major independent report into the election and subsequent crackdown by authorities said human rights abuses “were found…